The dust holding capacity of a filter is the amount of dust that it can hold whilst maintaining its specified efficiency or within its rated pressure drop, from clean to dirty; its value is obtained at the same time as the efficiency tests. For most filters, efficiency and dust loading are interrelated, and therefore, the efficiency is obtained several times during the course of a test; the dust holding capacity is the integrated amount of dust measured at each part of the test. A different technique is used for self-renewable filters such as the automatic roll filter.
For example, the below graph compares performance data of a filter evaluated in laboratory testing and in field use.
